sunset from behind the wire

Friday, April 14, 2017

I've read some articles lately wherein the writers accuse President Trump of losing his "America First" zeal. I don't see that happening. Life - and clearly the US Presidency is a negotiation. As Mick Jagger said. I believe that the president is trying to do the best that he can for the nation and its people.

There are things that I'd like to see happen in the interest of justice. I don't know if they will:

Impanel federal grand juries to subpoena, receive and consider evidence relating to Operation Fast and Furious, Susan Rice and "unmasking" and political spying, the Clinton Foundation, $500 billion in missing HUD funds, etc. I would like to see DOJ create a section to deal with these large investigations, which would move forward as separate task forces on each issue, fairly and impartially. However, since all roads lead to Barack...

Replace FBI Director James Comey.

There is a world of difference between Congressional investigations and good old fashioned grand juries with aggressive prosecutors and investigators. It's tough for political partisans to reign in grand juries once they'e about the business for which they were created...

Costco

I drove into the parking lot at Costco today (yesterday as you read this) and the very front parking space was empty. I said to myself, "Well that's good karma, but I spent it all on the parking space." Sure enough, I wrenched my back lifting one of those 36 packs of water bottles and pivoting it into the shopping cart, which was bumped and moved as I was trying to put the water bottles in it. I need to practice prudence and not burn up the luck so fecklessly in the future - park farther back?

Tomorrow (today if you're reading this) is Good Friday. I hope that it turns out to be a good Friday.

When Will the Bleeding Stop for United Airlines?

I don't know. I think that there will be more memes for this than there were for Harambe, the monkey that was shot in the Cincinnati Zoo while it hauled a little black child around inside its enclosure/cage.

One person on a Facebook posting (I think that he is a lawyer) was encouraging United Airlines to take the injured 69 year old Chinese doctor to court because they'd eventually win in trial. While that may be true, UAL stock would be lining the floor of bird cages by then.

Then there's the Transportation Safety Administration - that misses 95%+ of bombs and weapons in controlled testing.

Kids

I was showing the house today to prospective buyers (I'm trying do to a sale-by-owner before I list it and have to pay the real estate vampires 6% commission) and thought about the house that the kids grew up in. The photo (right) is of my two youngest girls goofing off.

They grow up too fast. That's all I'm saying.

Indian Call Centers

If I'm asked to call a corporate call center for whatever reason, I'm likely to get an Indian on the line. I always ask to speak to an American and if I insist loud and long enough, they get somebody who speaks the lingua franca on the line. Indian call centers are a pet peeve of mine.

Housekeeping

As of January 1, 2017 this blog began to receive anonymous posts. I try not to delete them, but if you want to be taken seriously here, you need to identify yourself, if only by some sort of cryptonym.

Welcome to Virtual Mirage

"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.

"Oh, you can't help that," said the cat. "We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad."

"How do you know I'm mad," asked Alice?

"You must be," said the cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."

Good Morning

Virtual Mirage - What's on the other side of the mirror? Ask Alice how deep the rabbit hole really goes.

This blog is an extension of MY JOURNEY because sometimes my journey needs more explanation, and sometimes there is more to be said than can be expressed on one ordinary blog.

Sometimes it's politics (very serious), sometimes I address the human condition with a dose of humor, and other times it may seem as if the track is headed in a unique direction. I can be a complicated guy at times.

There are a few things you'll find I consider:

* Absence of proof is not proof of absence.

* Sometimes the questions are complex but the answers are simple.

* Love is the only condition where the happiness of another person is essential to your own.

* Steers do not sign treaties with meat packers. (think on that)

* Taxes are NEVER levied for the benefit of the taxed.

* The purpose of fighting is to win. There is no victory possible in defense.

WHITE POWDER (Novel)

There is something intoxicating about a secret.

THE OLD WHORE (NOVEL)

In the peculiar culture of the Central Intelligence Agency, "old whores" are people who will do whatever it takes to get the job done, irrespective of the cost.

EXILES FROM EDEN (NOVEL)

Sparks fly as two star-crossed lovers meet. He runs toward trouble as she yearns for something missing. And it ends in a flight from and toward justice.

About Me

Today, I balance work and play as much as anyone can. All things remaining equal, play is more important. Life is short - it's important to make every day count for something, if only to yourself.
I'm a former tinker/tailor/soldier/sailor who has now decided that maybe it really wasn't all done for nothing.

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